Help Enter the Engineering Field

[cde010]

I got a BS in Electrical Engineering back in 2007. I've held a bunch of cools jobs since then but nothing in the Engineering field. Now, I'm ready to hop in but I have ZERO experience. What can I do??

 

[Dr. Courtney]

Tough call. Are you geographically constrained, or can you do a national search?

 

[cde010]

Tough call. Are you geographically constrained, or can you do a national search?

Thanks for the reply! I've focused locally in south Louisiana mostly. There seems to be some employment opportunity here but everything I've found requires experience.

 

[Dr. Courtney]

As it happens, I spend a lot of time in South Louisiana. Petroleum engineering and mechanical with rotating equipment experience are the biggest demands. Most of the want ads specify that the EE jobs want experience, but in the supply and demand of engineers in S Louisiana, a lot of degreed engineers get hired without much experience. I'd start sending out boatloads of resumes.

If your GPA was mediocre, you will need to likely improve your networking skills to land a job. That's easier in small communities like Lake Charles and Lafourche Parish than in bigger communities like Laffy and metro NO.

 

[cde010]

As it happens, I spend a lot of time in South Louisiana. Petroleum engineering and mechanical with rotating equipment experience are the biggest demands. Most of the want ads specify that the EE jobs want experience, but in the supply and demand of engineers in S Louisiana, a lot of degreed engineers get hired without much experience. I'd start sending out boatloads of resumes.

If your GPA was mediocre, you will need to likely improve your networking skills to land a job. That's easier in small communities like Lake Charles and Lafourche Parish than in bigger communities like Laffy and metro NO.

That is excellent advice. I reside in Baton Rouge and my GPA was mediocre, so I should find more creative ways to network. Strangely enough, my wife and both of her parents are engineers (mechanical). They have sent me a few email forwards and suggested some companies to apply to but no luck yet. I'm wondering if there are any training programs in the area or online that would make me a more attractive candidate. Thanks again!